Without the Jin Shanyao, the polo game could finally proceed normally.
Those Silla women who had been specially instructed by You Tuo immediately turned all their sinister thoughts toward Meng Anzhi when Jin Shanyao left the stage.
The old one ran away, and the young one is being manipulated... Today, we must make sure she doesn't leave the arena unscathed.
The leading Silla woman's eyes flashed with a fierce light. Taking advantage of the chaos, she circled around to Meng Anzhi's side, suddenly lowered her cue stick, and swung it viciously at Meng's horse leg.
"Careful!"
Zhao Zhiyuan had been keeping an eye on Meng Anzhi. When he saw the woman resorting to underhanded tactics, he didn't hesitate and spurred his horse forward to stop her.
Concern clouded his judgment, and in a moment of carelessness, he was ambushed by the Silla people, falling straight to the ground as horses' hooves flew past his eyes.
Just when he thought he would be crippled if he didn't die, a force suddenly pulled him onto the horse's back.
Hold me tight.
Meng Anzhi spoke coldly, then spurred her horse and galloped away, taking him to the edge of the field.
When Zhao Zhiyuan landed, his legs were still weak, but his eyes were fixed on the field, not daring to relax for a moment.
"Sister Anzhi! The guy on the right is lowering his cue!"
Hearing the sound, Meng Anzhi dodged to the side, and a pole narrowly missed her ribs, a truly terrifying moment.
His heart pounded like a drum. He strained to scan the entire area and called out loudly, " Anci, three zhang to the left rear, that's Madam Lu!"
Without hesitation, Meng Anci swung his club and struck the ball. Fu Congxi caught it steadily, spurred his horse straight towards the opponent's goal, and with a flick of his wrist, the polo ball went into the net.
" Sheng Dynasty has gained the upper hand..."
The referee announced the score loudly, instantly raising the atmosphere in the arena.
Zhao Zhiyuan's mind raced as he tried to find a flaw in the opponent's strategy. Just then, the Silla woman who had ambushed Meng Anzhi earlier was still persistent and swung her club again at Meng Anzhi's horse's leg.
Meng Anzhi's eyes turned cold. She spurred her horse forward and brought her polo mallet down with a loud crack, breaking the opponent's horse's leg.
The Silla woman screamed and fell off her horse, rolling frantically on the ground to avoid being trampled.
Meng Anzhi reined in her horse and turned around, just in time to see Meng Anci strike another Silla man hard on the leg with his club. The man cried out in pain and fell to the ground, unable to dodge in time, and was trampled in the abdomen by the galloping horse, curling up and unable to get up.
Fearing that her younger brother would be surrounded, Meng Anzhi immediately spurred her horse forward. The two siblings stood back to back, their coordination flawless, preventing the Silla soldiers from getting close.
Standing on the high platform You Tuo shouted sternly, "Your Highness! Is this a game of ball or a game of wrestling? How can you swing the club at people like that!"
Xiao Yuan smiled faintly, "Why is Your Highness in such a hurry? Bumps and bruises are common on the polo field. Besides, didn't your court's people just do the same thing? I didn't utter a single complaint."
One sentence left You Tuo speechless.
On the field, the Silla players were completely overwhelmed by the siblings' relentless pursuit and attacks, and the one-sided domination only came to an end when the match concluded.
Looking at his subordinates' bruised and battered faces, You Tuo was unsure whether to berate them as useless or to comfort them.
Xiao Yuan was in an exceptionally good mood. Ignoring You Tuo's forced smile, he pulled him along to continue admiring the flowers and scenery. Before they knew it, it was evening, and the colorful lanterns created a truly breathtaking sight.
You Tuo had no interest in appreciating the lanterns or the scenery. He was filled with rage and had nowhere to vent it. He especially hated Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci. He wished he could devour them alive.
Looking again at Jin Shanyao, she actually moved closer to Jin Xiaoji and secretly took out a ball from her bosom and handed it to him.
" Xiaoji... look... the ball... it's for you."
After saying that, ignoring Jin Xiaoji's livid face, she shoved him into her arms, and then walked away with her hands behind her back, head held high and chest out.
When giving a gift, you should give something that touches the heart. She is truly a kind and understanding person.
A banquet was held in Hanguang Hall in the evening.
Not long after Jin Shanyao her seat, two young women sat down next to her. These two were You Tuo's last trump card, and also Jin Xiaoji's trump card to mock Jin Shanyao.
The two remained silent, laughing throughout, leaving Jin Shanyao completely bewildered. She turned to Jin Xiaoji and asked, "Who are these two?"
Jin Xiaoji: "These two are Silla. They have long admired your name and came specifically to see you."
Jin Shanyao believed it to be true. Over the centuries, many plants and animals have traveled across mountains and rivers just to catch a glimpse of her, which is not surprising. But halfway through the meal, something felt off.
As she picked up some food, the girl on her left glanced at her chopsticks and exaggeratedly gestured to the girl on her right.
Jin Shanyao her hand to pick up a dessert, but the girl on the right stared at her plate with disdain and gestured at the person on the left.
Jin Shanyao slammed her chopsticks on the table with a snap. "If you have something to say, just say it. What are you gesturing like that over the three of us... trying to make yourself look like you have hands?"
Jin Xiaoji chuckled, " Madam Jin, please don't misunderstand. These two are deaf and mute; they can't hear what you're saying."
Can't you hear me???
Jin Shanyao thought for a moment and decided against it. She wasn't some unreasonable tree; she couldn't possibly stop the other party from communicating. So she picked up a piece of food and put it in Meng Anzhi's bowl. In the blink of an eye, she saw two girls staring at Meng Anzhi's bowl, exaggeratingly covering their mouths, their eyes full of mockery.
Then he started gesturing in front of her, which made the Silla people burst into laughter, and gradually her table became the focus of attention.
Jin Shanyao's gaze gradually turned cold, her eyes filled with hostility. "Did you cricket at me in front of everyone?"
The two girls smiled but didn't say anything.
Jin Xiaoji sneered smugly, "I already said they can't hear you. Is Madam Jin hard of hearing?"
Upon hearing this, both Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci turned pale.
Jin Shanyao furious. Did they think she couldn't read sign language? She'd show them what sign language was like!
She leaned forward and, with a soft "poof," blew out the oil lamp.
The area around the table went dark. Forget sign language, you couldn't even see the food. All you could hear were two screams... The oil lamp was lit again, and the two girls covered their eyes, one on each side, trembling with pain.
Jin Shanyao surprised; she hadn't hit them, and she was sitting in the middle, unable to reach either of them...
Jin Shanyao looked at the siblings suspiciously, only to see them eating expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened.
She looked at the siblings with concern across from them, "Are you still blind? Can you see the gestures? Tsk tsk, this is all you've got. You were already deaf and mute, and now you're blind... How are you going to live like this?"
Jin Xiaoji was so angry that he jumped up. "Is this how you treat your guests in the Sheng Dynasty? You dare to hit someone in front of our young prince! You have to give us an explanation today!"
Xiao Yuan coughed lightly and said, "General Jin, please calm down. These two may have bumped into each other themselves. After all, their hands are so fast, who knows where they might have poked their own eyes."
Jin Xiaoji felt a lump in his throat; this Crown Prince of the Sheng Dynasty was clearly lying through his teeth.
You Tuo suppressed his anger and said, "General Jin, please sit down and do not be impolite."
Jin Xiaoji reluctantly sat down and turned to glare at Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao raised her glass to him, silently moving her lips, "See you tonight..."
Jin Xiaoji was suspicious. What did that mean? It's already evening! Why would you meet at night?